3 h. ago Friedrich Merz's party approves German coalition agreement, bringing him closer to the chancellery

German election winner Friedrich Merz’s party has approved an agreement to form a coalition government with a center-left rival

Politics

1 week ago Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy hails ‘good progress’ on minerals deal talks

Ukrainian president says legalities almost finalised and officials signal US concessions in talks that are progressing ‘quite fast’; deadly Shahed strike on Dnipro. What we know on day 1,149Minerals deal negotiators have made “good progress”, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Wednesday. A senior official with knowledge of the negotiations told Agence France-Presse that newer drafts of the US-Ukraine accord appeared not to recognise previous US military aid as a debt owed by Ukraine, adding that talks were moving forward “quite fast”. That assessment echoed a report by Bloomberg News that said Washington had eased a demand that Kyiv pay for aid already delivered since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.“The basic legal stuff is almost finalised, and then, if everything moves as quickly and constructively, the agreement will bring economic results to both our countries,” Zelenskyy said in his daily address on Wednesday. The Trump administration has demanded some sort o...

Economics

1 week ago A man slipped into a VIP convoy and hugged the German chancellor in 2023. Now he has to pay a fine

A German court has fined a man for slipping into a VIP convoy for Chancellor Olaf Scholz in 2023 and giving him a hug as he prepared to board a plane at Frankfurt Airport

Politics

1 week ago Trump lashes out at Zelenskyy as Witkoff signals Putin’s wider security demands – Europe live

US president questions Ukraine counterpart’s competency as his envoy outlines ‘detail attached’ to any peace dealDavid Shimer, the former director for eastern Europe and Ukraine on Joe Biden’s national security council, writes for the Guardian today, asking “two key questions for Ukraine’s European allies” as he worries about the US military aid ceasing soon.The war between Russia and Ukraine is approaching a historic turning point: unless the Trump administration adjusts course, US military aid for Ukraine is about to cease.Since taking office, Trump has not approved a single military aid package for Ukraine. Even if Trump were to reverse course and utilize this remaining drawdown authority, the amount available is insufficient to sustain US support for Ukraine over time. To do that, Congress would need to approve additional Ukraine funding, which will not happen while the Republican party controls both chambers and the White House. As a result, the era of US military aid to Ukrain...

Politics

2 w. ago The Guardian view on Friedrich Merz’s grand coalition: gambling on a new centre ground | Editorial

The deal signed last week between the centre-right CDU and centre-left SPD paves the way for vital investment in Europe’s biggest economySome years ago, hundreds of German finance ministry staff dressed in black and formed a giant zero to salute their boss, Wolfgang Schäuble, as he left office. It was a tribute to Mr Schäuble’s extreme fiscal conservatism, which had delivered Germany’s first balanced budget in the postwar period. Amid resurgent prosperity in the Angela Merkel years, the so-called black zero – symbolising a constitutional prohibition on public debt – had gradually acquired cult status.As a new administration prepares to take power in Berlin, it seems unlikely that human euro signs will welcome the latest politician to take on Mr Schäuble’s former role. But in dramatic fashion, the spending taps are set to be turned on. Via a swiftly staged March vote in the outgoing Bundestag, “debt brake” dogma was consigned to history by the chancellor‑elec...

Politics

2 w. ago Germany's public services and towns are 'overwhelmed' by immigrants and the country must take fewer asylum seekers, incoming chancellor says

Friedrich Merz said immigration figures 'need to significantly' come down below six figures amid pressure on public services and towns.

Events

2 w. ago German parliament expected to meet May 6 to elect Friedrich Merz as the new chancellor

The German parliament plans to meet on May 6 to elect Friedrich Merz as the country’s next leader, if all the parties in his proposed government approve a coalition agreement reached last week

Politics

2 w. ago Crumbling bridges slow traffic and the economy in Germany. Can more money fix the problem?

Germany’s reputation for efficiency is taking a hit from crumbling concrete

Economics

2 w. ago We'll cut your aid if you don't take your citizens back, Friedrich Merz tells foreign countries whose residents continue immigrating to Germany

The foreign aid budget - which has been a huge source of pride for officials in the European country - could be slashed amid a raft of measures to curb illegal immigration.

Politics

2 w. ago Conservative CDU/CSU and SPD form coalition government in Germany

Two of the country’s biggest parties freeze out right-wing AfD and prepare for impact of Trump’s new tariffsGermany’s biggest mainstream parties have sealed an agreement to form a government keeping the far right out of power, as Europe’s top economy struggles to reverse a downturn and gird itself for the potentially catastrophic impact of new US tariffs.The prospective chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative CDU/CSU announced the breakthrough deal with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), which had led the ruling coalition since 2021. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Germany to send ‘clear signal’ of ‘strong, effective government’ under new coalition, says Friedrich Merz – Europe live

Presumed future chancellor says coalition has ‘strong plan’ after negotiations as polling shows popularity of far-right AfDEarlier today I brought you Donald Trump’s comments overnight on “major” tariffs to be announced “very shortly” on pharmaceuticals (9:20).My colleague Lisa O’Carroll looked at the risks such measures could pose for Europe:Pharmaceutical companies in the EU have warned of a “risk of exodus” to the US as stocks in the sector slid around the world on the back of Donald Trump’s renewed threat to impose tariffs on US drugs imports.Drugmakers’ shares across Europe and India, another foreign drugs hub, slipped on Wednesday after Trump indicated further carnage was on the way in addition to the 20% “reciprocal tariffs” on imports that kicked in overnight. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Ursula von der Leyen speaks with Chinese premier on trade and ‘avoiding further escalation’ – Europe live

European Commission president meets Li Qiang about Europe and China’s ‘responsibility to support reformed trading system’ and push for negotiationsGermany has temporarily suspended accepting new refugees via a UN resettlement programme, pending the outcome of the coalition negotiations and the new government formation, the German press agency DPA reported.The DPA’s report said that almost all resettlement applications will be suspended until the new government takes office, with only “well advanced” cases expected to be processed. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago iPhone users are BAFFLED as glitch installs random apps on their smartphones

After installing iOS 18.4, iPhone users are being left baffled by a glitch that installs random third-party apps on their smartphones without their approval.

Politics